At The World's End
by Seto's Darkness
Summary: Lelouch has always copied Suzaku, the stronger of the two of them. And Suzaku will always protect Lelouch, no matter what. .:SuzaLulu, speculation on R2 episode 23 onwards, canonAU mix:.


**Warning**: Spoilers for the whole series, up to episode 23. Yay homolust and LuluC.C. ending! But mostly homolust XD Also, unbeta'ed. Written in 20 minutes D:  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything.  
**Notes**: Okay, so I know that this will totally be disproven by the next episode, but. But. The plot bunnies wouldn't let go : A big AU though I wouldn't complain if this becomes true orz;; and probably OOC. Maybe some inconsistencies, but I'm rather proud of myself for turning my incoherent fangirling and babbling into prose form OTL ...Figures that my first Code Geass fic would be like this o.o

...Um, please tell me your comments? :D

--

And so it was like that, with only Damocles and Avalon left.

--

"On the day that Euphie asked you to be her Knight," Lelouch begins, hands barely shaking as they held the chess-piece-like remote in his grip, "I wanted to ask you."

Suzaku's breath hitches, but he doesn't feel the all-too-familiar volcano of anger at the mention of Euphie, or becoming her Knight. He inclines his head, chocolate bangs hiding a little of his eyes.

"I wanted to ask to ask you," explosions _--to be mine and--_ battlecries and broken engine sounds, "Nunnally's Knight."

Lelouch thought of his jealousy over Suzaku's physical prowess, of his might.

The horrifying gunshots and sword-clashes deafened their conversation over the Open Line. But it seemed that Suzaku heard Lelouch's thoughts anyway. "I'm your Knight now. I'm your Sword that will destroy all that threaten you."

For a man who holds the Power of the Kings, for a man who has commanded the Gods, Lelouch looks like a breakable porcelain doll. C.C. is standing behind him, a silent pillar of support, and the Avalon's Bridge is empty, except for the two. Accomplices, until the end.

"You're not Lelouch's Knight, Suzaku."

"The plan will not change even with Nunnally--"

"This is a branch of the plan," Lelouch says in his most commanding voice, purple eyes sharp and begging Suzaku to not waste any more time because the end is already marching towards them with heavy feet.

"I'll start the operation in 2 minutes. I trust that you'll be able to evacuate yourself in that time."

Lelouch laughs his winning laugh. It is low and rich and is devoid of any hesitation.

"I trust you, Suzaku."

Normally, Suzaku would have protested against this kind of strategy -what about those who will be left to maneuver Avalon?- but. But he has changed because he isn't Kururugi Suzaku, honorary Britannian now.

He is the Knight of Zero.

So, Suzaku closes the open channel because he knows that Lelouch will contact him when he is needed.

"...I'll see you later."

--

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you!"

"You will drive this decoy pad and when questioned, you will say that the Emperor has escaped with you."

--

And so it was like that, with Lancelot Albion and Avalon both clashing head on with Schneizel's Sky Fortress, the Avalon containing the modified F.L.E.I.J.A., and with Suzaku rescuing Nunnally from Damocles.

--

"100 is a nice number," C.C. comments, voice not trembling even the slightest bit, even though her chest is torn open in a very gruesome sight, and even though blood is coating her pristine white dress red. Her hands are soft and delicate, cradling Lelouch's gasping form in an almost motherly manner.

Lelouch coughs, eyes wide open and seeing the sky painted with brilliant hues of red and indigo and Damocles' remains. "I thought Kaguya would have been a good Empress." He pauses briefly, as though he is struggling to remember the face of the young woman who wanted to be his wife. "Her intelligence and charisma scores are quite high."

C.C. smiles but she isn't sure if she pulled it off nicely, her lips throbbing with an uncomfortable numbness. "She can help Nunnally. They'll get along."

"Talking about friendship doesn't suit you, witch."

The green-haired woman pats Lelouch's head indulgently, ignoring the way her hands felt warm, sticky liquid amidst the mop of dark locks.

Lelouch briefly closes his eyes, his mind blank for possibly the first time ever in his life. He couldn't think of the blood that stained his elaborate robes, of the pain that squeezed his lungs with each breath, of the utter peace he felt once he has united the world under one rule.

"Don't close your eyes, Lelouch."

His hands are numb; he couldn't even feel his fingers.

So this is what death feels like. It was unpleasant, but with all the things that has happened to him, it wasn't the worse. So this is what Shirley, Euphie, Rolo, and all the others felt.

The numbness spreads progressively to his limbs, to his neck, to his face.

"You said... You want to grant my wish. You want me... to die smiling, right?"

And Lelouch's eyes snap open because C.C.'s lips are placed tenderly above his own.

And.

And Lelouch's hands, guided by C.C., are holding a knife against C.C.'s chest, piercing her once-immortal heart.

Lelouch moves very sluggishly, straining against the hold of fatigue and incoming death, to remove his hand.

Not you too, he wanted to say childishly, too horrified to think of the consequences of this act.

C.C. shakes her head, her lips moving, dropping feather-light touches smeared with blood.

"We're accomplices, aren't we?"

--

"The 100th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire and the First Ruler of the United World Empire: Nunnally vi Britannia!"

"The crowning of the seats for the Knight of Rounds will now begin...!"

--

**2028 a.t.b.**

--

It has been ten years since that day -- that day when he turned down the offer to become a Knight of Rounds. Nunnally pleaded for him to remain by her side, but Suzaku simply smiled and said that he'll come rushing to her aid when she needs him.

It has been ten years since the day Lelouch and C.C. died.

In retrospect, Suzaku should have expected it. For Lelouch to have some other thoughts as to how exactly would the requiem play out. Suzaku could say that he felt cheated in their promise --Lelouch has always been a liar-- but it wasn't because of that.

They were supposed to die together, Lelouch and him. Now, Jeremiah is gone, and so is the Geass canceller. Now, the Geass to "live" is still engraved on his very being.

Lelouch carried the responsibilty of driving Avalon right into Damocles' path, activating Nina's modified F.L.E.I.J.A. and taking away the flying fortress and all its occupants.

Lelouch has always been very selfish.

Suzaku has stayed here for ten years -- at the Kururugi Shrine. He sometimes wished, that he was just having a painful, imaginative dream and he'd wake up, with Nunnally smiling at him and Lelouch pouting at his very long slumber.

Nunnally's chronic illness has finally put her into a sought-after rest, but the world begins to tremble once again with everyone having a different idea of peace and discipline. Thousands of small factions surfaced, unrest introducing a violent whirlpool to the world of ten-year peace.

Kallen and Gino are still stuck at the new capital, protecting the headquarters of the United World Empire while the upper-class debated over the next ruler. Nunnally's Will -which says who would be the next successor- has gone missing and everyone is racing to become the new ruler - the person who will hold the world in his hands.

Suzaku contemplated about going to the capital and offering to help out, but a stranger suddenly barged in to his house, the wooden door slamming viciously hard against the wall.

The stranger raised his head and stared at Suzaku with soulless eyes.

"Lelouch."

--

"I'm not Lelouch anymore," Lelouch-who-claims-to-not-be-Lelouch says softly, holding Suzaku's hand and letting it trace across the mark of immortality hidden by his longer-than-before bangs.

Suzaku wants to say, 'I was lonely', 'I searched for you', 'How could you leave me', or even 'I love you', but those words are meaningless now.

"We are immortal now," Suzaku remarks almost cheerfully, his voice low because the guards who apparently has heard of a rumor about an immortal boy are still around, surveying the area.

Lelouch blinks, violet eyes looking a little more cat-like and more enchanting than before. He looked like he wanted to refute Suzaku's words, like he wanted to elaborate, like he wanted to point out that Suzaku is not exactly immortal, but-- "Yeah."

"You always copied me, even when were young," Suzaku teases good-naturedly, and a smile tugs at Lelouch's lips, despite the confusion that whirled inside his mind.

"Suzaku--" I'm sorry. I wanted to see you soon, but I. I wanted to die, I really wanted to. Where are they keeping Nunnally's body? I am still in love with you--

Suzaku moves with feline grace, beckoning for the man trapped in his teenager body to straddle his lap. "Lelouch." Zero is gone forever. We have all the time in the world now. I am in love with you--

"Welcome home."

And Lelouch still copies Suzaku now, copying the way Suzaku kissed him like he was branding him.

"I'm back."

--

**END.**

--

Eh. This is called wishful thinking XD;;;;; (I can only hope that the series will end somehow like this lol) Nope, I'm not abandoning my other fandom's fics;;; I just felt like I'd _implode_ if I don't write out this fic, asap D: I also tried my best to fix the formatting but this site is being weird;;

I hope you enjoyed reading it nevertheless!


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